3 Signs Kaitlyn Bristowe And Jason Tartick's Relationship Wasn't Going To Last
Another Bachelor Nation couple has bit the dust. After four years together, "The Bachelorette" alums Kaitlyn Bristowe and Jason Tartick have officially called it quits. The two announced their breakup with a lengthy Instagram post and a throwback photo. They wrote, "After sharing the news with family and close friends first, and taking the time to properly process it ourselves, we are saddened with heavy hearts to share that we have decided to end our engagement." They said they'll continue to be friends and share custody of their two dogs as they navigate this new chapter in their life.
Both Bristowe and Tartick joined Bachelor Nation in hopes of finding love — Bristowe as both a contestant during Chris Soules' season and the lead of her own, and Tartick as a contestant during Becca Kufrin's season — and although they experienced some sparks, it didn't working out for them. However, the Bachelor Nation circle is small, and the two met when Tartick appeared on Bristowe's podcast, per People. Although Bristowe was in a relationship at the time, it was clear the two had a spark, and when the former Bachelorette broke up with her ex in 2018, Tartick swooped in.
In May 2021, the two took the next step in their relationship as Tartick asked Bristowe to marry him. The couple instantly became a fan-favorite among Bachelor Nation fans, and many hoped their relationship would last. Unfortunately, it didn't, and there may have been a couple of signs that it was coming to an end.
Kaitlyn wasn't wearing her engagement ring
Kaitlyn Bristowe never shied away from sharing the beautiful engagement ring her former fiancé, Jason Tartick, gave her. If anyone had a ring as beautiful as Bristowe's they would want to show it off, too. The former Bachelorette even revealed in 2021 that she and Tartick were already planning their wedding as she showed off her bling. She told "On the Red Carpet," "[W]edding planning is going really well. We have kind of picked a date and a location, and we started working on the guest list, and everything is moving in the right direction."
Everything seemed to be going great, however, in July 2023, Bristowe shared a photo that raised fans' concerns. From a post on the beach to photos of dinner dates, the reality star didn't seem to go anywhere without her engagement ring on her hand. So when she posted snapshots of her on vacation sans ring, fans couldn't help but wonder if the couple had called it quits. One user wrote, "I think Jason and her broke up. No ring." It wasn't normal for the reality star to go anywhere without her ring — and people noticed. Bristowe's missing engagement ring definitely hinted at the beginning of the end of their relationship.
Kaitlyn and Jason were noticeably missing from each other's Instagram
If there's one thing Kaitlyn Bristowe loved sharing more than her engagement ring, it was Jason Tartick himself. Bristowe often shared photos of her and Tartick on social media and vice versa. However, after fans noticed that she wasn't wearing her ring anymore, they also noticed they hadn't posted about one another in a while, too.
Tartick posted a photo of the two in July 2023 for the Fourth of July holiday, a month before he and Bristowe would call it quits. He wrote, "4th of July gets weird and I'm here for it! Happy Birthday." The couple looked happy together celebrating the holiday, but clearly, something went wrong and ultimately led to their breakup. As for Bristowe's Instagram, her last post with Tartick was in early July 2023, but some would say that the post didn't count because it was promoting her podcast. Her actual last post with Tartick was back in May 2023, when she posted photos of the two at the Kentucky Derby.
Although the couple didn't post photos of each other all the time, it was unusual for the pair to go a long period without sharing a couple of snaps together. The missing Instagram posts were a clear sign the couple had been going through a rough patch.
Kaitlyn shared cryptic posts leading up to the breakup
Kaitlyn Bristowe seemed to soft launch her breakup with Jason Tartick thanks to her cryptic Instagram posts. After the reality star shared the photo of her on vacation without her ring, the internet went wild with rumors that she and Tartick had broken up. Those rumors grew even more when Bristowe began sharing posts that hinted at a potential split.
In early August 2023, the former Bachelorette posted a screenshot of her listening to her song, "If I'm Being Honest." While she has posted her music before, fans couldn't help but notice the timing of it all and the specific lyrics she shared: "Just 'cause I'm an open book / Don't mean you get the whole story / And if I'm being honest / I'm not always as tough as I seem." Fans believe the lyrics hinted at the fact that Bristowe wasn't ready to go into detail about her breakup with Tartick just yet.
A day after she posted her music, the reality star shared a video of her working out, which doesn't seem strange, but it was her caption that raised eyebrows. She wrote, "Gotta toughen up if I'm gonna fight the noise." All the talk surrounding Bristowe and Tartick flooded her comments and the podcast host was trying to block it all out. She was going to need to have that mentality because just days after this post, she and Tartick announced their breakup.